The members of Soundwall are excited. I had arranged to meet with one of them to discuss the unique new creation, but when I arrive, there are four members of the Miami music scene’s new “artist’s collective” seated at the table for our lunch meeting. All four are local musicians…
Carol City’s Gunplay released his debut studio album, Living Legend, today alongside a fantastical video for the track “White Bitch.” In the video, we see Gunplay team up with the last standing Cocaine Cowboy, Mickey Munday, to move weight from the jungles of Colombia to somewhere in South Florida. In…
When he was seven-years-old, Michael Barksdale’s father gifted him a guitar. Ever since, he’s been tinkering with sounds. Now known as Culture Prophet, the electronic producer who grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia, decided when he made the move to South Beach last September that he wanted to change…
When Notorious Nastie releases a new music video, brace yourself. You really never know what you’re going to get. His work ranges from the bloody “Jesus Was a Jewish Zombie” to the Iggy Azalea parody “I’m So Nasty.” It’s brash, rude, offensive, and, well, just plain nasty. His most recent…
Kendall is kind of like the Miami music scene’s middle child. We all know it’s there, but we either don’t notice it, or just don’t care. That’s a shame. Because there is some talent coming out of our neglected southern sibling. For proof, look no further than Sigh Kicks. Sigh…
After having to reschedule an interview with local jazz singer Nicole Henry I texted her, “Thanks for being understanding.” She texted back, “I’m a singer that’s my job.” When we were able to talk she elaborated, explaining how empathy is a key component to what she does. “I tell stories…
Bands get together. Bands break up. From national arena acts to tiny garage bands, no musician is immune. Even when things are going well, you never know when a cymbal might fly across the recording studio, striking a lead singer in the forehead and forever ending your favorite group’s career…
The newest addition to the Chica family is a hairy little sweetheart named Gunner, a black Labrador retriever just shy of 2 years old — or around 17 in dog years. That makes him roughly the same age as his owner, Joseph Chica. Though the pup, a guide dog in…
Love it or hate it, everyone knew about Will Call. The hybrid venue perched at the doorstep of the American Airlines Arena for the last four years was many things to many people. Modeled to be a great rock n’ roll venue, Will Call served the needs to many a folk. Some of the…
When Aja Monet and Umi Selah were first tossing around the idea of building their own recording studio, a lot of decisions needed to be made. First, a name. It was Aja who came up with Smoke Signals. Umi Selah (formely known as Phillip Agnew) explains its significance like this: “A…
Selena. Gloria Estefan. Jennifer Lopez. The past is full of strong, sensual, and talented Latina superstars who continue to shine in our hearts and on our screens, but look to the budding young faces of the present, and there’s a certain vacancy. That’s what Miami’s Monique hopes to change. Talking…
As the number of music cruise choices increase, so does the diversity. No longer the novelty they were as little as ten years ago, these excursions are now becoming as diverse and plentiful as the number of genres represented. In Miami alone, we have the ever-popular Holy Ship, Motörhead’s MotörBoat, and…
There was a sense of warmth in the air during the afternoon’s events on Thursday, July 9, but it wasn’t just because of Miami’s unbearable heat. A group of individuals that could essentially be called a family had gathered in a cozy, vibrant room in Allapattah, Miami, decorated with children’s…
Despite it being nearly 1 o’clock in the afternoon on a Wednesday, the house is dark as night. Outside the front door sits a pile of shoes, their barefoot owners lying, passed out, on a black leather couch inside. Denzel Curry, one of the few awake, sits shirtless, ready to…
Fourteen years since its formation, the Miami-based Tiempo Libre is at a point in its career that most up-and-coming bands dream about. Three Grammy nominations, worldwide recognition on stages and television, and several albums later, the group is in the midst of a promotional tour for its first release under…
A little over a month ago I found myself sitting on a couch in between Rick Ross and Gunplay. The two Carol City natives and childhood friends had just wrapped up a Memorial Day show at the BB&T Center, and, at that moment, I was the meat in between their…
Rick Ross was released on a hefty bond yesterday after spending a week in a Lafayette County jail. Though the judge previously denied the rapper bail, by the end of his bond hearing yesterday, Ross was allowed to leave on a $2 million bond. He’s required to wear a GPS…
For Miamians, many things come to mind at the mention of Overtown. But what’s often overlooked is the neighborhood’s rich history, a past when it was commonly referred to as the “Harlem of the South” or “Miami’s Little Broadway.” Those who were there to see that Overtown paint a picture…
In 2012, dance music lover Justin Salit was frustrated. He was sick and tired of scanning email lists, Facebook invites, venue websites, and online calendars. So he took matters into his own hands. “I’m essentially a fan, and there was no way for me to find out what’s going on…
Does Miami get enough credit as a hip hop city? Probably not. Sure, rappers are always giving shout outs to our strippers and neon nightclubs, but where’s the appreciation of our talent? We’ve given the world Uncle Luke, Trick Daddy, Rick Ross, and Trina, but people still like to overlook…
Two weeks after being busted for misdemeanor possession of marijuana in Fayette County, Georgia, Rick Ross was again picked up by authorities in Fayette County, but this time for a much more serious charge. Authorities arrested Ross early this morning at his home in Fayette County (formerly owned by Evander…
Even those of us who have resided in these parts for a very long time — as in a few decades — might be forgiven for not remembering a certain local band from the ‘80s named The Wind. Not that they weren’t worthy of recognition — quite the opposite in…
